nationals

Suzuki's clutch hit another example of his importance to Nationals' success

September 29, 2012, 6:51pm

The amazing emergence of catcher Kurt Suzuki has been another example of how general manager Mike Rizzo finds a way to make the right choice in a time of need for the Nationals. With a major injury to starter Wilson Ramos, Rizzo was looking for a veteran backstop who could handle a young pitching staff. He focused on Suzuki, who had hit well in his career and had done a good job over the years of throwing runners out, something the Nationals had struggled with in 2011. Suzuki was brought in...

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Get ready to scoreboard watch (plus more playoff rotation notes)

September 29, 2012, 2:59pm

Nationals

Get ready to scoreboard watch (plus more playoff rotation notes)

ST. LOUIS - It's not difficult to keep tabs on the out-of-town scores at here Busch Stadium. They've got an entire big screen dedicated strictly to what's going on around the rest of the majors, so the scores kind of jump out and smack you in the face. The Nationals will be glancing up at that scoreboard throughout the night tonight, keeping tabs on what's going on down in Atlanta. Should the Mets beat the Braves, and if the Nats win as well, Davey Johnson's team will get to break into...

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Can Harper get to 25 in the final week?

September 28, 2012, 11:03am

Nationals

Can he get to 25 home runs? Of course, it is possible. The amazing rookie season of Bryce Harper continues into its final week of the regular season. With six games remaining before the postseason, Harper needs three homers to tie Tony Conigliaro's 1964 rookie home run record as a teenager. In that season, Conigliaro hit .290 in 111 games with 24 homers and 52 RBIs. This season, Harper has hit .264 with 21 homers, 17 stolen bases and 58 RBIs in 133 games. He has hit a home run in his last...

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An intriguing pitching matchup tonight (with lineups)

September 29, 2012, 11:46am

Nationals

An intriguing pitching matchup tonight (with lineups)

ST. LOUIS - We should have a good one at Busch Stadium tonight. Both Jordan Zimmermann and Kyle Lohse, tonight's starting pitchers, rank in the top seven in ERA in the National League going into tonight's game, so we can expect quite the pitchers' duel. Of course, I said pretty much the same exact thing back on Sept. 1, when these pitchers faced off at Nationals Park. What happened then? Zimmermann allowed eight runs over 3 2/3 in his worst start of the season, while Lohse gave up eight...

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The champagne will be in the house

September 29, 2012, 12:54am

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - It's not often that a 10-run loss in the heat of a playoff race can be brushed aside so quickly. Fortunately for the Nationals, they're in a position that allowed last night's 12-2 loss to the Cardinals to be put in the rear-view mirror as soon as they walked out of Busch Stadium. Yes, they got whooped up on to the point that they'd essentially thrown in the towel in the fifth inning. It wasn't the prettiest game of the season, that's for sure. But thanks to the New York...

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Jackson takes the blame, ready to move on

September 28, 2012, 9:06pm

Nationals

Jackson takes the blame, ready to move on

ST. LOUIS - Edwin Jackson, much like Ross Detwiler a few nights ago, put full blame on himself for his sub-par outing in the Nationals' 12-2 loss. "Today's game was just very disappointing and embarrassing," Jackson said after allowing nine runs in 1 1/3 innings. "When your club is in a pennant race and you have a game like that, it definitely leaves a bitter taste in your mouth that you did absolutely nothing to give your team a chance to win." What was the major issue tonight? You...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 12-2 loss

September 28, 2012, 8:26pm

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - Edwin Jackson has been very, very good at times this season. Tonight was not one of those times. The Nationals' righty went just 1 1/3 innings tonight, allowing nine runs (eight earned). He gave up six hits, walked four and got only one swing-and-miss all night, which is incredibly low for a power pitcher who usually has no problem missing bats. Manager Davey Johnson tried to give Jackson a chance to pitch out of trouble and eat up innings, but it just wasn't happening. He had...

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Taking a quick peek ahead to the playoff rotation alignment

September 28, 2012, 3:38pm

Nationals

Taking a quick peek ahead to the playoff rotation alignment

ST. LOUIS - It's hard to believe - from my perspective, at least - but tomorrow will mark the start of the last regular season turn through the Nationals' rotation. Jordan Zimmermann will take the ball for the Nats tomorrow and then not pitch again until the postseason. As I mentioned earlier, the rotation alignment for the final four games of the regular season will depend on when the Nationals are able to clinch the division title. Manager Davey Johnson will have options when it comes to...

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A silver lining (Nats lose 12-2)

September 28, 2012, 6:31pm

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - Davey Johnson has waved the white flag tonight, emptying his bench with the Nationals trailing 9-1 in the middle innings. But even with the blowout here in St. Louis, the Nats still can clinch the NL East title tomorrow night, thanks to the Mets. The Braves lost to the Mets 3-1 tonight, cutting the Nationals' magic number to two. A Nats win and a Braves loss tomorrow, and the division title belongs to Washington. See, you got something positive out of tonight. For what it's...

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Jackson smacked around in St. Louis

September 28, 2012, 5:31pm

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - It's safe to say this is not how Edwin Jackson envisioned his return to St. Louis going. Facing the team he helped to a World Series title last season, Jackson went just 1 1/3 innings tonight, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits. He walked four and struck out none, and leaves with the Nationals trailing 9-1. Those of you who were still wrapping up dinner during the early innings, you missed a bit of action. It was clear from the start that Jackson just wasn't there....

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Various notes and lineups from St. Louis

September 28, 2012, 12:34pm

Nationals

Various notes and lineups from St. Louis

ST. LOUIS - Hello from good old Missouri, and more specifically, the press box at Busch Stadium. The Gateway Arch is currently staring me right in the face as I look out on this field for the first time in person. It's a nice park, and I'm looking forward to experiencing the St. Louis baseball atmosphere I've heard so much about. And I'm serious when I say I've heard a ton about how great the in-game environment is here. These St. Louis fans better step their game up tonight and make...

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Perfect timing for a return to form

September 27, 2012, 11:00pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - Three down, three to go. The Nationals are half-way through their final road trip of the season, and after a few days in Philly, it's off to St. Louis for three games against a Cardinals team trying to lock up the NL's final Wild Card spot. The earliest the Nationals can now clinch the division is Saturday. You won't find anyone in the clubhouse looking past tonight's game, but after what the Nats accomplished in Philadelphia, they've set themselves up to close this thing...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 7-3 win

September 27, 2012, 7:52pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals aren't getting any help from the Braves lately. Atlanta just keeps on rolling, winning 10 of their last 12. So the guys in the Nationals' clubhouse are taking the mentality that they'll just have to go ahead and clinch the NL East title without any help from the team nipping on their heels. "I know if we win three more, we're in, we win the pennant," manager Davey Johnson said. "That's all I want everybody in that room to figure on." The magic number was...

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A long homer, a nifty catch and an impressive turnaround

September 27, 2012, 8:35pm

Nationals

A long homer, a nifty catch and an impressive turnaround

PHILADELPHIA - The play of tonight's game, in the eyes of the Nationals' relievers, at least, was not Danny Espinosa's over-the-shoulder sliding catch of a John Mayberry pop up, Ryan Zimmerman's running, off-balance throw to get Chase Utley in the fifth or Michael Morse's laser beam home run in the sixth. It was actually Tom Gorzelanny's catch of Morse's second home run of the night, which landed in the Nationals' bullpen. Gorzelanny saw the ball coming down into the bullpen, took off...

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Could Lannan replace Gorzelanny on postseason roster?

September 27, 2012, 7:43am

Nationals

Could Lannan replace Gorzelanny on postseason roster?

With the postseason beginning next Friday(!), the Nationals will have to make a decision on their pitching roster for the second season. Starters Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, Edwin Jackson and Ross Detwiler are set. But an interesting alteration that might occur is the possible addition of left-hander John Lannan and right-hander Christian Garcia to the postseason roster. Lannan improved to 4-0 with a 4.23 ERA in the Nationals' 8-4 win over the Phillies on Wednesday night, going 5 1/3...

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Michael Morse is putting on a show (magic number cut to three)

September 27, 2012, 5:08pm

Nationals

Michael Morse is putting on a show (magic number cut to three)

PHILADELPHIA - I'm guessing that Michael Morse's injured hand and wrist are feeling just fine tonight. Morse already has two home runs and four RBIs through three at-bats, helping the Nationals to a 6-3 lead over the Phillies. The first Morse home run was in the air for about 78 years before finally coming down just barely over the left field fence. It was an absolute rainmaker, giving Morse his 15th homer of the season. The second Morse longball was just demolished out to center. Morse...

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Porter talks about his new gig and his time in D.C.

September 27, 2012, 3:25pm

Nationals

Porter talks about his new gig and his time in D.C.

PHILADELPHIA - Bo Porter was already a Houston resident. Now, after the Nationals' season ends, he'll skipper the city's baseball team, as well. Porter was announced this morning as the next manager of the Houston Astros, which will be the 40-year-old's first big league managerial gig. After a college football career at Iowa, a stint in the major leagues as a player, two years of service as a minor league coach and manager and five years as a base coach or bench coach for three different...

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Standing Room Only tickets available day of game for potential 2012 tiebreaker, Wild Card, & NL Division Series games

September 27, 2012, 11:57am

Nationals

Standing Room Only tickets available day of game for potential 2012 tiebreaker, Wild Card, & NL Division Series games

As previously announced, the Washington Nationals will sell a limited number of Standing Room Only tickets the day of each postseason game, subject to availability. Standing Room Only tickets for the Tiebreaker, Wild Card and National League Division Series can be purchased for $30 each at the Nationals Park Box Office, located at the Center Field Gate, once the Box Office opens on the day of each game. Standing Room Only tickets will be limited to two per person. On game days, the Nationals...

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Harper eyeing one individual goal, Johnson talks postseason roster

September 27, 2012, 9:13am

Nationals

Harper eyeing one individual goal, Johnson talks postseason roster

PHILADELPHIA - Ian Desmond commented last night that Bryce Harper seems to find a way to impact every single game he's a part of. Last night, Harper smacked a two-run homer, stole a base and drove in an insurance run with a triple in the ninth inning. In the process, he became just the second teenager in major league history to hit 20 home runs, behind only Tony Conigliaro who hit 24 in 1964, and now is the first teenager ever with 17-plus homers and at least 17 stolen bases in a...

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This, that and tonight's lineups

September 27, 2012, 11:38am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - In New York, R.A. Dickey is in line for his 20th win of the season, which would tie him with Gio Gonzalez for the most in the majors. Dickey notched 13 strikeouts through 7 2/3 innings of work, allowing three runs. The NL Cy Young race between Gonzalez, Dickey and Braves closer Craig Kimbrel looks like it'll come down to the wire. Gonzalez will have a chance to bolster his chances tonight when he faces the Phillies in the series finale between these two teams. The Reds beat...